Dozens of mourners gathered outside a Crystal Lake funeral home today as the remains of John Larimer were returned home after the Navy intelligence officer was killed in the Colorado movie theater shooting last week.

Some mourners stood with their hands on their hearts, some saluting as a hearse brought Larimer's remains to the Davenport Family Funeral Home, 419 E. Terra Cotta Ave., Crystal Lake.

A public visitation for Larimer, who died while shielding his girlfriend from gunfire, is planned for 3 to 9 p.m. Friday.

Larimer, 27, was a Navy petty officer third class stationed at Buckley Air Force Base in Aurora, Colo. He was among 12 people killed when suspect James Holmes allegedly fired into a theater during a midnight showing of the new Batman movie. Dozens more were injured.

Larimer, the son of Scott and Kathleen Larimer, was a 2003 graduate of Crystal Lake South High School, where, according to an obituary on the funeral home's website, he was active in speech, theater, band and the academic team. He later earned degrees in political science and history from the University of Wisconsin at Whitewater.

Julia Vojtsek, of Algonquin, said she and Larimer had known each other in Illinois and began dating about a month ago. She credited Larimer with saving her life by covering her when the shooting began.